you shouldn't have missed

Five Things – Trump, Vine, SNP, McDonald’s and M&As

This week, Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed does not include the World Cup, despite Robbie Williams sticking his middle finger up to the world, because it’s going on for a month. We might mention the final (if England win). We are covering Trump meeting Kim, Jeremy Vine’s new show, SNP MPs pulling a stunt in the House of Commons, McDonald’s joining the anti-plastic-straw brigade and two massive mergers and acquisitions.

1. Trump Kim

Summit

Donald Trump had a whirlwind week – the man who turned 72 yesterday, insulted his allies at the G7 Summit, offended Canada and met North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. While the last of these was an historic occasion, Trump being the first sitting President to meet a North Korean leader, many have pointed out that Trump has signed an agreement with North Korea promising economic support (among other things), while all North Korea has agreed to is a plan to denuclearise. Which they’ve promised before. Twelve times. If you’re after some explanation about what’s going on and why it’s good or bad (seems to be mostly the latter), check out #BBCdad Robert E Kelly’s Twitter feed.

 

2. Through the GrapeVine?

Vine

Matthew Wright said his goodbyes this week after 18 years presenting his Channel 5 show, The Wright Stuff. All in all, it was an emotional affair. But fans of current affairs programming on weekday mornings fear not, for a new host has been revealed. Jeremy Vine, king of playing devil’s advocate on BBC Radio 2, Egghead host and election night cowboy, will take up the role from September. More details, including the title, are yet to be announced, but it has been confirmed that Vine will continue to present his lunchtime show on BBC Radio 2 (which means fans will be able to catch him for a couple of hours in the morning on Channel 5, listen to him over lunch on Radio 2 and then tune in early evening to Eggheads for their full daily Vine fix).

 

3. SNP MPs pull PR stunt at PMQs

SNP

SNP MPs this week brought Wednesday’s PMQs to more people’s attention than usual, by staging a walk out. After some disagreement with John ‘ORDER, ORDER, ORDER, ORDER, ORDER’ Bercow, Ian Blackford, the party’s Westminster leader, got kicked out (some have suggested on purpose) and was then followed by his cohort, who mockingly waved goodbye. There was a mixed reaction on Twitter as to whether it was a shrewd move (‘if you’re ignoring the Scottish people, we’ll not take part in the charade’) or a desperate act of attention seeking. Either way, as a stunt, it gave PMQs a lot of attention and the SNP MPs a voice to explain why they did what they did. Whether it makes a difference to anything, remains to be seen.

 

4. McDonald’s kills off plastic straws

Straws

McDonald’s has announced it will replace plastic straws with paper ones in all of its UK and Ireland restaurants from September. The move, which is a huge victory for Blue Planet II (and latterly Daily Mail campaigning and Michael Gove making his mark as Environment Secretary), sees the end of McDonald’s’ serious single-use plastic habit that is currently burning through 1.8m straws a day. That’s every day and only in the UK and Ireland. Paul Pomroy, chief executive of McDonald’s UK and Ireland said: ‘The Government’s ambitious plans, combined with strong customer opinion, has helped to accelerate the move away from plastic and I’m proud that we’ve been able to play our part’.

 

5. Mergers and Acquisitions

AT&T and Time Warner

American supergiant, AT&T, has had its $85.4bn takeover of American supergiant, Time Warner, approved by a judge. This is seen as a blow to Trump, whose administration is against the deal. It’s also considered a watershed moment, with the floodgates possibly about to open on giant M&As in the States.

You wait all Five Things for a mergers story and then two come along at once.

Comcast has launched its official bid for Fox, in an attempt to scupper Disney’s own efforts. It has offered $65bn, which is significantly higher than Disney’s $52.4bn offer. This will be a long, drawn-out process, which will end without a clear winner being discernible. But for now, it’s mind blowing numbers and the future of the media landscape that, one way or another, is going to change forever.

Did we miss anything? Let us know on Twitter @Vuelio

Helen Reynolds

Vuelio at the Communications Conference 2018

#CommsConf18 took place on Tuesday, kicking off the NHS Confederation’s annual conference and exhibition. The very best of internal and external communicators came together in Manchester to listen to, learn and share the latest thoughts on health comms and best practice for the future. Vuelio was delighted to join the Communications Conference 2018, and hear from some of the leading experts in health comms.

Host Helen Reynolds, from Social For The People and of Comms Cartoons fame, presented The Comms Unicorn, which ‘poos insights’, ‘flies over chaos’, ‘sweats engaging content’ and delights the NHS comms crowd.

Helen Reynolds

She also created cartoons for each speaker, including the This Girl Can campaign lead Kate Dale, comms2point0’s Dan Slee and CIPR president Sarah Hall.

This Girl Can

The This Girl Can campaign is known for its inspirational tv spots and advertising, but Kate was able to lift the curtain to give a behind-the-scenes look at how the campaign was put together, the challenges they faced and the difference they’ve made to women’s sports participation.

Comms 2point0

Dan Slee is always a favourite among comms audiences, and #CommsConf18 was no different. Using a variety of examples, Dan was refreshingly honest about digital comms: only use it when it’s appropriate and genuinely the best option, don’t just focus on Twitter and make sure you’re engaging with your audience, not just broadcasting.

He also highlighted this incredible thread from Rochdale Council responding to a ‘dig’ at the town.

FuturePRoof

CIPR President, Sarah Hall, has just released #FuturePRoof edition three, titled ‘The NHS at 70 with Lessons for the Wider PR Community’, making her an obvious choice for #CommsConf18. As ever, Sarah advocated best practice and the need for comms at all levels for the NHS to thrive. With 25 experts backing her up, it’s hard to disagree that comms is vital for the health service’s future.

As you’d expect, there was a lot of chat across social media for #CommsConf18, which we’ve gathered together in this Vuelio Canvas. To see the full Canvas, click here or on the image below.

If you’d like to make your won Canvas, and show off your coverage, share visual link or replace boring slides, get in touch

Communications Conference 18

Dadbloguk.com

Spotlight with top daddy blogger John Adams of Dad Blog UK

John Adams is a leading daddy blogger who writes the award-winning Dad Blog UK. Winner of the Best Dad Blog at the Vuelio Blog Awards 2016, John has consistently been ranked in the Top 10 UK Daddy Blogs. With Father’s Day just around the corner, we caught up with John to talk all things daddy blogging, from spending time with the kids and finding time to post, to working with brands and being part of the incredible dad blog community.

What makes your blog unique?
What makes my blog unique is that I am a man living the equality dream. It’s my wife who works full time and provides materially for the family whereas it’s me who is in the playground twice a day doing school drop off and collection.

My blog has transitioned. A lot of dad bloggers are very focused on the earliest years of childhood but I’m now focused on the school years.

I remain the stay-at-home parent, but with both kids at school I dedicate more time to blogging. This is quite a common pattern for mum bloggers but not so with dads who are usually the ones working full time.

Dad Blog UKWhat’s the best thing about being a dad?
There are so many it’s hard to pick one. There is nothing quite like putting your phone away and simply spending time kicking a ball around a park or reading to your child. Spending one-on-one time with your kids is simply priceless.

Alas, we’re in the midst of a house move. This has totally dominated the past five months of my life. I’ve not spent the quality time I would have liked with the kids. I’m looking forward to correcting that balance over the summer holidays when we’re all moved in.

How are daddy and mummy blogs different?
This is a very good question. I think the big difference is that most dad bloggers are holding down full-time jobs so for the majority, it is a hobby with the occasional perk. For many mums, blogging is their main source of income or a way to promote some other business interest.

Needless to say, mums also excel at sharing their birth stories. I’m not too sure what us dads can do to rival mums at this game.

How would you describe the daddy blogging community?
The dad blogging community is generally very supportive. As you might expect it’s very diverse, taking in stay-at-home dads, working dads, same sex couples and so on.

There’s no question the dad blogging community is much larger than it once was and I see there is more competition than ever before. There’s also been a trend towards dads who put the majority of their content on Instagram.

The campaigns guys are working on and brands they’re working with are much bigger than they once were. It’s a further sign the dad blogging world has matured.

When do you create most of your content?
Things have changed for me over recent months. I became my kids’ main carer seven years ago, so my wife could focus on her career.

My youngest daughter, Izzy, is now at school so I can dedicate more time to blogging and producing content. Whereas I used to write mostly before the kids got up between 5am and 7am, these days I produce most of my content during school hours.

I still do 5am starts once or twice a week but it doesn’t happen every day. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in the day and days in the week!

What are the biggest issues facing dads in the UK today?
I think a lack of paternity pay is one of the biggest men’s rights issues of this era. Many men, as they’re the main earners in their families, simply cannot afford to take paternity leave and yet it’s one of the most crucial times in forming a healthy and lasting relationship with your child.

There’s also the ongoing issue with shared parental leave (SPL). We introduced a very weak form of SPL in the UK and it’s bitten us on the behind because, surprise surprise, men think they’ll harm their careers if they ask employers for time off to be with a newborn child. If you want detail, see this blog post I wrote a few months ago.

Dads also face many of the issues mums do. Discrimination at work, what to do about screen time, how to monitor tech your kids are using and so on. It’s not easy being a parent!

Do bloggers need their own association or industry institute (and why)?
Oh my word, yes, yes and yes again. Blogging is no longer ‘new media’. It is an established form of media and a significant amount of marketing spend makes its way to the blogging community.

This cuts both ways. We should have a trade association to ensure we are not taken advantage of by unscrupulous agencies and businesses. Likewise, if we had an association and had to abide by a code of conduct, it would give the PR world some reassurance they were dealing with credible, responsible bloggers.

We don’t have an authoritative voice to offer advice on issues like the GDPR or what we should do regarding disclosure of paid-for content and that kind of thing. We also have no one representing bloggers at a government or policy level. Considering how much money is invested in the creative industries, that’s a ridiculous situation.

I wrote about this for the Vuelio blog a little while ago, as did my blogging chum Tim of Slouching Towards Thatcham. It’s a discussion us bloggers need to have.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I have experience of working in PR so I can think like a PR rep and have a good idea of what agencies and their clients are trying to achieve. I am also a very experienced blogger and I think I can get away with saying that I have a high media profile. I regularly make print and broadcast media appearances commenting on parenting and lifestyle issues.

I am also flexible and thoroughly enjoy what I do. Don’t be shy, get in touch with me!

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What are your favourite collaborations?
I worked on a superb campaign last year with Goodyear Tyres. A group of us went out to Luxembourg and were let loose on a test track to try out its Vector All Seasons tyre.

I also enjoyed working with Graco, which produces car seats, travel cots and the like. I tested a lot of products and we still use one of the Graco car seats I reviewed at the time. The campaign also involved working with agony aunt Suzi Hayman, who is just lovely.

Another great campaign was one I worked on for a small electric car rental company called EVR Go Electric. I tried out five different electric cars in five days. It was a very busy week but I learned a lot about electric vehicles.

What other blogs do you read?
Diary of the Dad written by Tom Briggs is one I come back to very frequently. Jo Middleton’s Slummy Single Mummy is a perennial.

I’m doing more and more on Instagram so thoroughly enjoying what @tobyandroo and @london_dad do.

Can I get away with putting a podcast on this list? I’m a huge fan of a US podcast called This American Life. I love its in-depth reports about life on the other side of the Atlantic.

John Adams and his award-winning blog are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Tim Liew

Leading daddy blogger Tim Liew on family, brands and community

Slouching Towards Thatcham has steadily climbed its way up the daddy blog ranking and most recently reached the third spot. Written by Tim Liew, Slouching Towards Thatcham reports from the ‘frontline of fatherhood’ and features tales of Tim and his three kids. A popular figure among daddy bloggers, Tim is also well-known for his hilarious musical parodies. Tim told us about the daddy blogging community, how he likes to work with brands (including the fact he’s cheap!) and the many other blogs he likes to read.

What makes your blog unique?
For starters, I’m a dad, I work full-time and I’m Asian, which makes me a rarity in the parenting category. I also focus a lot on audio content. I hosted parenting podcasts for two-and-a-half years (although I’m currently taking a break) and, despite my less than stellar ability to hold a tune, I regularly write and perform parody songs about my experiences as a parent.

Tim LiewWhat’s the best thing about being a dad?
Just being there to watch the kids develop and grow. Our three are all so different: Isaac takes after his mum, Toby is basically my mini-me and Kara has a personality that is all her own. It’s incredibly rewarding to see them take some of the best bits of both their parents, while building their own unique skills and experiences. I think the best part is seeing them become more than just the sum of their mum and dad.

How are daddy and mummy blogs different?
I’m not sure they really are that different, insofar that I don’t believe there’s any such thing as a typical mum blog or a typical dad blog. 99% of the time we write about the same things. Okay, the male perspective on childbirth or period pains is never going to be the same as a woman’s. But even so, I think the biggest differences arise as a result of environment rather than chromosomes.

The blog of a mum in a traditional nuclear family is going to be very different from a single mother or one half of a lesbian couple. Similarly, my experiences as a 40-something working dad of three aren’t going to be the same as a 20-something stay-at-home father with a Down’s syndrome child. Fundamentally, we’re all parents with our own takes on this parenting life.

How would you describe the daddy blogging community?
Small but perfectly formed – and under-utilised. There are some fantastic dads with lots to offer in terms of their diverse parenting experiences and creativity, covering the LGBT, adoption, stay-at-home and autism communities among others. Brands are starting to appreciate the value of working with dads. We’ve come a long way in the past few years – but there’s still a wealth of untapped opportunity (and talent) out there.

When do you create most of your content?
I’m a night-owl so I do a lot of my writing late at night and at weekends. But I’m also constantly jotting down notes and taking and editing photos in spare moments during the day. Blogging is 24/7 – there’s no such thing as a 9-to-5 day.

What are the biggest issues facing dads in the UK today?
It’s a real challenge for modern dads to establish their place in a world that hasn’t always moved with the times. Many of us are deeply involved in all aspects of our children’s lives; in some cases as the primary carer. And yet, there is still a huge gap in societal attitudes towards dads, from the old ‘dad as babysitter’ jokes to baby-changing facilities and the low adoption of shared parental leave. That’s not to say that mums don’t face many issues of their own – of course they do – but too often dads are the forgotten half of the parenting equation.

Do bloggers need their own association or industry institute (and why)?
Yes! The blogging industry is getting bigger and more complex, faster than ever, with the rise of influencer marketing and the arrival of GDPR, among other things. I think a blogging association is desperately needed to help raise standards among bloggers and PRs, and to give brands the confidence that bloggers they work with are credible and professional. I wrote a piece outlining my thoughts on this topic for the Vuelio blog.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
That I’m very selective about who I work with, simply because I don’t really focus on monetising my blog. I work only with brands I’m genuinely interested in, so any content I produce comes from a place where I’m passionate about the brand or what it stands for. (Also, I’m cheap!)

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What are your favourite collaborations you’ve worked on?
I’ve worked on some fantastic projects over the years, but my personal favourite was the year I collaborated with Gadget Show Live because it meant giving the boys a fantastic experience too. They loved the show but they were particularly thrilled about something as simple as having press passes, which made them feel like VIPs. We even produced a podcast review of the show together afterwards. Those kinds of experiences are worth more than payment or product for me.

What other blogs do you read?
In the parenting niche there are too many to mention but my favourites include John at Dad Blog UK, Matt from Man vs. Baby and the incomparable Sarah of The Unmumsy Mum fame. As a long-suffering Arsenal fan, I also read Arseblog every day. And, as a former TV reviewer, I religiously read many of the major pop culture blogs/websites, although The A. V. Club is probably my go-to.

Tim and Slouching Towards Thatcham are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Amanda Coleman

Crisis Comms: lessons from Greater Manchester Police

What if a crisis is a matter of when, not if? What if it’s unpredictable but inevitable? What can you do to make sure you expect the unexpected?

Amanda Coleman is one person who knows how to stay calm in a crisis. As head of corporate communications at Greater Manchester Police, Amanda has been through some challenging times, including last year’s Manchester Arena terrorist attack, the murder of police officers in 2012, the August 2011 riots and the death of a former chief constable.

From unexpected events that resonate around the world to local matters that affect ordinary people, Amanda has a wealth of experience in crisis comms and has learned valuable lessons from every crisis she’s been through. We’re delighted to say that Amanda will share these lessons with you on an exclusive webinar on Tuesday, 26 June.

Webinar: Crisis Comms – Lessons from Greater Manchester Police 
Date: Tuesday 26 June 2018
Time: 11:00 am BST 

In this webinar you will learn:

  • Best practice when a crisis strikes
  • Why your comms needs to continue after the crisis
  • How you can prepare so your organisation is never caught out

Amanda has over 25 years’ experience across journalism and communications, with the last 18 years spent in senior comms roles within the police service. She recently spoke about ‘communicating in an age of terror’ at the World Public Relations Forum and is keen to promote best practice for the entire comms industry.

If you work in PR or communications and have to deal with crises, or perhaps a crisis is yet to strike, then this is the perfect webinar for you – helping you prepare for the unexpected.

James Herring

How to win PR awards, with Taylor Herring

Taylor Herring is a multi-award-winning agency, known for disrupting the news cycle and getting its creative campaigns onto the front pages. Whether its Greggs’ Gregory and Gregory or Samsung’s QuickDrive, Taylor Herring’s work pushes boundaries and the agency is reaping the rewards.

Here, co-founder James Herring tells us what it takes to win awards including PR Week’s Agency of the Year and Campaign of the Year, and the Drum’s Best PR Strategy.

Taylor Herring has won a lot of awards (49 since 2014!), what’s behind the success?
Creativity. Creating a work culture that thrives on bold and brave ideas to solve client problems. With no risk, there’s no reward.  This only comes by having client partners that are prepared to do things differently and take a few calculated risks.

For example, last year Greggs came to us and said, ‘We’ve had a balanced choice range for the last three years but no one knows about it because ultimately our steak bakes and sausage rolls are so famous they drown out the conversation about the rest of the range.’

We needed to find a radical idea to get the balance choice range front and centre, so we pitched Greggs the idea of putting four people on a Greggs-only diet, for one month, eating just from the balance choice range (but with a sausage roll and doughnut treat once a week). It was a reverse Morgan Spurlock Super Size Me idea, and, to their credit, Greggs took very little persuading. Recently we took Greggs undercover at a gourmet food festival, under the name Gregory and Gregory, to promote their salad range and in the immediate aftermath, sales of the featured product line rose by 200%.

I’m also really proud of the work we have done for Samsung. They take an ‘agency neutral’ approach to where ideas come from and, as such, alongside our PR work we are now making TV ads, cinema spots and designing billboards. Last year, we pulled off the UK’s longest-ever TV commercial. It featured a locked-off shot of a washing machine drum in a homage to slow TV. The follow up was to commission Hollywood pianist Michael Nyman to compose a 72-minute score for a wash cycle – and then stage a West End premier of ‘Washing Machine The Movie.’

The same with Pimm’s. We run an efficient press office but as their lead creative agency we also produce all the content for their social media channels and their digital outdoor.

Another example is easyJet, who wanted to raise their family-friendly credentials. We did a piece of research that revealed the number of children reading books on holiday was at an all-time low. So, we turned an entire fleet of planes into ‘flybraries’ by putting 7,000 children’s book onto planes – turning them into holiday lending libraries. A purposeful campaign loved by flyers and the media, which has helped drive brand love and sales to that distinct audience.

Campaigns that come from the heart rather the head are the ones that win awards.

Campaigns that come from the heart rather the head are the ones that win awards. It’s a question of finding the right clients to go on that journey with you.

Do you ever turn clients down?
Yes, all the time.

We did a big piece of work last year into who our sweet spot client was. I think most agencies can relate to the fact that you waste a lot of time on pitches you should never have got involved with in the first place. Cash-grabbing short termism is a distraction.

We looked back at the pitches we didn’t win from the previous 12 months and the types of client they were and saw a pattern. The sweet spot for a Taylor Herring client is a ‘bold, enlightened challenger’. They need to have that same fire in their belly that you’d expect to see from a start-up. They want to stand out within their category and to do things differently. When gauging if the client is the right fit, we’re looking for evidence of a disruptive passion that runs right through the business from the CEO down. Sometimes the PR department are desperate to shake things up – but there might be some conservative voices in the c-suite who just don’t get the value and power of earned of media.

Is PR doing more work for brands than before?
Yes – I think we’re living in a golden age of PR. The advertising industry is under so much pressure from technology that’s cutting out ads; 90% of people fast forward through TV commercials, 25% of us have an ad blocker on their phones. It’s becoming harder to reach people with interruptive advertising.

Also, the emperor’s new clothes of the paid influencer, which lasted all of 18 months, is over, thank god. People have realised that lobbing £30K at a YouTuber to say, ‘wow I love this lipstick’ just doesn’t cut it any more. It’s bad for consumers and bad for the brand. The news media will always be the most valuable of influencers because they apply the all-important credibility filter to brand communications. If you’re going to work with social media stars – they need to be fully immersed in the campaign and 100% credible. Otherwise, save your money.

I suspect the ad industry will raise their game and get better at PR because they have to. I read an opinion piece in Campaign magazine from a top ad exec saying: ‘what’s the point of doing a campaign if it doesn’t cut through the news cycle?’ That’s what the PR industry has been telling the marketing industry for the last hundred years! We’ve always been the best story-tellers. If you can make it entertaining and interesting, put a smile on people’s face or open their eyes to seeing the brand in a different light, it delivers.

There are two great expressions I’ve heard from features departments that sum it up. The Sun’s features department says when they’re deciding if a story is good enough to run, it needs to pass the ‘F*ck me Doris’ test. It’s based on two archetypal Sun readers, Mr and Mrs Smith let’s call them, and Mr Smith is reading a feature in the paper and says, ‘F*ck me, Doris, have you seen this?’. I love that.

The Daily Telegraph features department calls that their ‘marmalade dropper’ moment, which feels quite appropriate for the stereotypical Daily Telegraph reader; the vicar or headmaster splutters reading a story while their toast and marmalade goes all down their front.

Is that the approach that makes Taylor Herring successful?
Very much so. Our challenge is to deliver a story that makes a news editor, features editor or special correspondent say, ‘people are definitely going to share that’ or, ‘that’s going to drive online conversation and comments’. And we’re definitely getting better at it.

If you do a campaign that does well, the phone rings off the hook for the next week because people will want to reach the people who did it.

Good work delivers more clients.

We haven’t ever cold called for clients in the history of Taylor Herring because doing good work brings success.

James Herring also spoke to us about how to break the news cycle and why he purchased top PR blog, PR Examples.

Taylor Herring and Kier Group win big at #CIPREXCEL

Taylor Herring, which won three awards, Kier Group, which managed two, and Loughborough University, which also won two were big winners at last night’s CIPR Excellence Awards. And for fans of Vuelio webinars, Battersea Dogs & Cats Home: Five Year Sentences For Animal Cruelty will be a familiar campaign, which last night picked up the Public Affairs Campaign award – an inevitable decision for outstanding work. JamJar PR and Cwm Taf University Health Board won the Best Use of Digital, sponsored by Vuelio, for their #JoinCwmTaf campaign to solve the health board’s staffing crisis.

The biggest winner of the night was surely the PR industry, which proved its diversity and strength with 31 awards presented to an outstanding selection of comms experts.

CIPR President Sarah Hall kicked off the event, praising the PR industry for its important role in society and those before her for always striving towards best practice. With a crowd of 700-strong, the Awards is a clear sign that the PR industry is in rude health and is as relevant and necessary as ever.

In the public sector, there was recognition for the London Met Police for their crisis response to the terror attacks and Borough Market for its own response following the tragic events of 2017.

In terms of the ‘big’ awards, Large Public Relations Consultancy went to Instinctif Partners, Mid-Sized to Manifest and Small to Talker Tailor Trouble Maker – all three picked out by the judges for their USPs and commitment to their own individual styles of PR practice.

English Heritage won In-House Public Relations Team and Bridget Aherne from Bridget Aherne Communications received the Independent Practitioner award.

The full list of winners is available on the CIPR Excellence Awards website, including each winner’s entry to the competition and judges’ remarks.

Obviously, the most hotly contested part of the night was the Vuelio caption competition. Using custom Instagram frames, guests posed and snapped throughout the evening for a chance to win a bottle of Champagne. Unfortunately, we could only have one winner – congratulations to Amy Hegarty from BT, who pouted her way to first place.

We’ve created a full Vuelio Canvas of our favourite entries to our competition, click here or on the picture below to see who made the cut.

Want to make your own Canvas? Our unique presentation tool is great for pressbooks, lookbooks, newsletters and newsrooms. Make a Canvas.

CIPRExcel

BBC doc

Paul Dacre steps down, Twitter reacts

Paul Dacre has announced he is to step down from his role of editor of the Daily Mail, after 26 years in charge. The media giant will become chairman and editor in chief of Associated Newspapers (which changed its name to DMG Media), but this move still marks the end of an era in British news.

It’s difficult to know where to begin when talking about Dacre, his success as an editor is unquestionable but his role in society has often been contentious and many are celebrating the news of his departure.

Dacre used his announcement to staff to talk about the success of the Mail under his editorship, the paper’s victories – from the famous Stephen Lawrence front page to the recent anti-plastics campaign – and the whole team’s effort in the ‘battle for freedom of expression against those who seek to impose statutory regulation of the press’.

Lord Rothermere, who owns the publisher but has always given Dacre editorial freedom, said, ‘Paul is, quite simply, the greatest Fleet Street Editor of his generation’.

The BBC’s media editor, Amol Rajan, who seemingly broke the story last night, said, ‘Paul Dacre was the last of his kind’.

On Twitter the reaction was more mixed.

His support of the current Conservative Government and its leader Theresa May has also been highlighted by many, including Matt Chorley in his hugely influential Red Box email. Chorley wrote: ‘Theresa May reads The Times because she likes the Sudoku. She reads the Daily Mail because she likes to know what Britain thinks. Well, her idea of Britain. And really it’s about what Paul Dacre, her loudest cheerleader, thinks.’

Chorley also quotes an unnamed government source who text him saying ‘Bad news for Theresa. Dacre’s the last person in the country who thought she was any good’. Ouch.

As for Dacre’s replacement, there are many contenders being touted by the press, from The Sun’s Tony Gallagher and the Telegraph’s Chris Evans to the Mail on Sunday’s Georgie Greig:

What hasn’t been overlooked is one particular outside choice. Before Paul Dacre became editor of the Mail, he had a brief stint editing the Evening Standard. Someone else who is currently a short period into his editorship of the Evening Standard is George Osborne. Though suggestions he wanted the job were quickly denied by the man himself:

Dacre will step down in November, before his 70th birthday.

David Evans

Top Men’s Fashion Blog: Grey Fox

Grey Fox is the ‘mature search for style’, written by David Evans. The blog recently ranked in the Top 10 UK Men’s Fashion Blogs and has been a stalwart of the male fashion blogging scene for years. With fashion and menswear content for all men, Grey Fox has built a loyal following and provides a unique perspective in the blogosphere.

We spoke to David about the origins of men’s style, how shoes can make or break an outfit and the amazing campaigns he’s collaborated on.

Grey-FoxWhat makes your blog unique?
I’m a men’s style blogger aged 63. The blog started as my search for style as an older man. There are few enough men’s style blogs and even fewer that cater for the man over forty (in fact I only know a very small handful). However, while my main readership is over 40 on the blog, on Instagram it’s aged between 25 and 35! I describe a fairly classic menswear style and, at the moment, that appeals to all ages.

Will Men’s Fashion ever catch up with Women’s Fashion?
I suspect that men’s fashion has already overtaken women’s in terms of amounts being spent. Some studies show that men spend monthly more than women and it’s certainly the case that the men’s clothing market is growing twice as fast as women’s. Interest in menswear is huge; I see this on my blog and social media.

Who is your favourite ever designer?
I don’t really have one as I like to find inspiration from many directions. Having said that, I love what New & Lingwood and Oliver Spencer are doing and there are many small menswear businesses here in the UK that deserve our attention, such as SEH Kelly, Marwood, Lamler and others.

What up-and-coming designers will be tomorrow’s stars?
Again, I can’t really say. The world of men’s style is different from the more volcanic fashion world where names come and (usually) go, and are quickly forgotten. My interest is in the durability of classic styles inspired by Savile Row and Jermyn Street but which includes many newer and younger brands.

What’s the best fashion show for men?
Oliver Spencer always do a great show at London Fashion Week Men’s, but looking more widely at the world of menswear, Pitti Uomo in Florence is, for me at the moment, the greatest display of men’s fashions and style. While it is largely Italian, there are some 100 plus British brands there this June and it’s a great place to see the best-dressed men in the world. I’d love to see something similar in London where there is so much creativity and, arguably, the whole concept of men’s style originated.

Grey FoxShoes or watch?
Shoes can make or break a look. Poor ones can ruin the best outfit, while good shoes can lift a mundane look. I do like a good watch though – a vintage example adds a real touch of style.

Beards: in or out?
Men should wear what they like – it’s a question of style, not fashion.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I represent a demographic that is growing fast. Over fifties are wanting to spend time and money on style, holidays and consumer goods. They are responsible for nearly half of consumer spending and brands ignore them at their peril.

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve worked on?
Driving a Maserati in Northern Ireland recently for Maserati UK. Designing a summer collection with Alexandra Wood. Driving a Range Rover Velar in Norway. Having hats made by Taylor Red Millinery – there are so many which have been great fun.

What other blogs do you read?
It probably sounds terrible, but I don’t. Time is precious and I prefer to follow on Instagram where I follow all the main menswear Instagrammers. One blog I do like to follow is That’s Not My Age in which Alyson Walsh talks about style for older women.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

MENSWEARSTYLE

Craig Landale – the number one men’s fashion blogger

Craig Landale continues to dominate the men’s fashion and lifestyle scene with his blog MenswearStyle. Topping the Men’s Lifestyle ranking and winning two awards at the Vuelio Blog Awards 2017 – Best Men’s Lifestyle Blog and Best UK Blog – now Craig has been named number one in the Top 10 Men’s Fashion Blogs.

We spoke to Craig about his favourite designers, working collaboratively on experiential PR campaigns and why he no longer reads the competition.

What makes your blog unique?
MenswearStyle is unique because it brings an informative but light-hearted voice to the menswear industry, covering not just the high street and high designers but start-ups and crowdfunded brands too. We bring an authentic and honest outlook to current trends as well as bringing focus to important movements such as sustainable fashion. The blog isn’t the only way of consuming our publication as we also have a Podcast and Street Style gallery, as well as a shop which lists thousands of products from online retailers.

Will Men’s Fashion ever catch up with Women’s Fashion?
I don’t think men will ever consume fashion in the same way women do. The average woman is more inclined to buy for the season and dispose of prior season’s garments, whereas the average man is looking to buy higher quality items with an interesting story that is expertly manufactured and will last years to come. The number of designers, collaborations and developments within the industry is certainly gaining traction though.

MenswearStyle

Who is your favourite ever designer?
Oliver Spencer is my favourite. The style of clothing he makes basically sums up my taste in clothing. It’s relaxed, understated and everyday comfortable wearable pieces that fit really well. I always look forward to his fashion shows each season in London too. I like how he uses non-model guys (usually his friends) mixed in with the usual runway models too.

What up-and-coming designers will be tomorrow’s stars?
That’s a tough one, If I knew this I’d be in a different job but I’ve recently interview Genevieve Sweeney for MenswearStyle and I really like her British-made knitwear. Her designs are so interesting, yet not too overbearing or trend-led. Definitely a brand to watch for the coming AW18 season.

What’s the best fashion show for men?
I always prefer catwalk shows where the garments are wearable. Some designers go for the theatrical element to a show and that’s ok, but I personally don’t like it. I love menswear for what it is and I like to see it being worn in the way it is intended to be in normal life. In fact, when I think back to my favourite ever runway show, it was back when LFWM was LCM and Hackett put on a show with a live orchestra and it gave me goose bumps. It made me proud to be working within the British menswear industry.

Menswear Style

Shoes or watch?
I really like to wear a good watch and I find them a bit trickier to buy compared to shoes. With shoes I’d always suggest a British made Brogue or Oxford as an essential, but watches are completely evolving. I really like what Shinola and Uniform Wares are doing at the moment.

Beards: in or out?
They’re still in and show no signs of going anywhere just yet. Even in high-summer you should expect to still see them. However, they will be trimmed down with reduced thickness to avoid being itchy and uncomfortable.

What one thing should PRs/brands know about you?
I run the UK’s best blog according to Vuelio and I’m also a CIM qualified marketeer. Not only do I love menswear but I like interiors and homeware too.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What are the best campaigns/collaborations you’ve worked on?
Over the six years of running MenswearStyle there have been many, but a few recent standouts are Gore-Tex where I headed out to Berlin to see their most recent developments in garment technology, Volvo where I test-drove their new XC40 car in Barcelona and Slaters where I styled two partywear inspired outfits for a London photoshoot and was interviewed for their in-store magazine.

What other blogs do you read?
I’m actually trying a new thing at the moment where I don’t look at my competition. I had read that if you pay too much attention to the competition you start to replicate them and you lose your creativity and all-important unique angle that gives you your difference and sets you apart from the crowd. I seem much happier for doing it and an unnecessary pressure has been lifted as a result.

Craig and his award-winning blog are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

Webinar

How to improve your influencer relations

Influencer relations is a vital skill for the modern PR professional. Influencers are often thought of as ‘new media’ – bloggers, vloggers and Instagrammers, but they can also be journalists, editors and broadcasters – anyone we work with who influences their audience is an ‘influencer’.

What traditional influencers have, though, is an industry and organisation behind them and their work. With established practices, and rules and codes to follow, collaborations with traditional influencers are generally straightforward. The rise of bloggers has brought new methods of collaboration to the industry and with it, uncertainty over what rules should be followed.

How to Improve Your Influencer Relations was our recent webinar that aimed to make these rules simple. With guest presenters Anne-Marie Lacey, managing director of Filament PR and Debbie Sharratt, independent PR practitioner and blogger at My Boys Club, we looked at the different rules that exist for new ‘influencers’ (from the CAP Code to Google SEO), and how to easily follow them for both bloggers AND PRs.

The webinar recording is now online, check it out here, to find out:

  • How to use the ASA guidelines, CAP code, Google rules and social media secrets
  • What paid-for content really means and when you need to disclose
  • How ethical relationships can boost your brand’s reputation and ROI
  • What to do if your influencers break the rules
Train

How integration improved Greater Anglia’s PR

Public relations has never been an industry that relies on one skill set or a single speciality. As the PRCA’s recent census showed, PR and communications covers a vast array of disciplines from reputation management and strategy planning to writing articles, SEO and sales promotion.

Your role is increasingly diverse, so the last thing you need is lots of different platforms when you want to manage everything in one place. That’s why Vuelio is fully integrated software to cater for all your needs, whether it’s finding new influencers to build relationships with, monitoring your coverage (and automatically linking it to your distribution), creating reports and proving how awesome you are or managing relationships with the press, clients and public.

True integration takes the hard work out of PR. But don’t take our word for it – Juliette Maxam, media manager at Greater Anglia, told us how Vuelio’s integrated platform has made their PR ‘seamless’.

Find out more about integrated software

Greater Anglia

The problem
Before Vuelio, we were collating press coverage manually, reading everything individually and producing our own analysis – it was a hugely time-consuming process. Now, Vuelio has freed up our time so we can focus on the PR we want to do.

The solution
Vuelio has given us to ability to do a number of things on one platform.

We distribute press releases, which makes things much easier to send out, and the monitoring allows us to track our coverage back to the releases – it’s seamless. The distribution is also great for sending out pictures and video, and allows us to see who is opening and not opening releases, so we can better manage our follow up.

One of the best features is the media analysis and reporting – it is so flexible and allows us to drill down into so many different topic areas and analyse enquiries. Also, the charts are presented clearly in the graphic dashboard and we can customise different parts. So, with things like sentiment, we can tweak individual articles, which is much quicker than having to do each one manually (like we did before).

The reporting function is useful for a number of reasons, from when we’re internally asked how well a particular release or campaign has done, for example the new range of trains, to creating regular reports for different teams. And, because we can tag all our coverage, it allows us to easily report on different areas, like competitors.

We also use Vuelio to log press enquiries, giving us a record of what we did in the past. The media team finds it particularly useful as they can easily see what (and when) previous enquiries were made.

And we use Canvas, which we really like – it allows us to quickly and easily send a single link out with all our coverage in one place.

Joining Vuelio
With Vuelio, everything is all in one place, and everything is connected. We can see how much coverage we’re getting and for what releases, which will ultimately make planning future campaigns more successful.

The whole process of joining Vuelio, from our first point of contact, was really good. The Vuelio team worked really hard, especially as I feel like we were really demanding with what we wanted, including good value for money. The set up was also great; one of our requirements has been face-to-face customer support and that’s what’s happened – which is really important for us.

Vuelio is a really useful, efficient and smart way of distributing press releases, tracking enquiries and analysing our coverage.

Ready for integrated software? Fill in this form and we’ll be in touch.

Five Things you shouldn't have missed

Five Things: Arkady Babcenko, WWW, Madeley vs Williamson, Evening Standard and Roseanne

This week’s Five Things includes the journalist who did(n’t) die, the world wide web, Madeley vs Williamson, accusations against the Evening Standard and the end of Roseanne.

1. Arkady Babchenko

Ukraine Russia

Arkady Babchenko is the Russian dissident journalist based in Kiev, who was in the news on Tuesday following his ‘assassination’. Less than 24 hours later, Babchenko made a shock appearance on a live TV press conference, to reveal the whole ‘murder’ had been a ruse to ‘foil a Russian assassination plot’. He was particularly apologetic to his wife, who was not in on the ploy and had believed he was dead after finding his bloodied body.

The cold war antics have jarred with modern day practices and Ukraine has been widely condemned for its part in spreading ‘fake news’. Harlem Desir, a representative from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said: ‘I deplore the decision to spread false information on the life of a journalist. It is the duty of the state to provide correct information to the public.’

Christophe Deloire, head of Reporters Without Borders, said: ‘Reporters Without Borders expresses its sharp indignation on learning of the Ukrainian secret service’s manipulation carried out as part of an information war’.

The good news is that Babchenko is still alive, Ukraine are claiming a victory having made an arrest and the journalist will now live under the country’s protection. The bad news is the continuing spread of misinformation has never been perceived as so damaging to society and this has only made that situation worse.

 

2. Half the world’s online

internet use trends

Mary Meeker, partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers has released her annual report of internet trends. The presentation, made at the Recode conference, covers a vast array of internet-related stats from smartphone prices (down on average), to the importance of immigration to US tech companies. There are 294 slides to the presentation, but one of the biggest stats is that there are now more than 3.6bn internet users; for the first time ever, over half the world’s population is now online. Meeker noted that this may be a problem for internet service companies – ‘growth is harder to find after hitting 50% market penetration’ – but the graph is still showing a steady rise, with no signs of the ominous plateau.

Pew Research Center

And what are all these people doing online? Well, if it’s in the US and they’re a teenager, they’re probably on YouTube. A new survey from the Pew Research Center suggests 85% of teens use YouTube, whereas only 51% use Facebook. This huge decline in Facebook use (down from 71% in 2015), will be painful for the company although it is offset by the rise in popularity of Facebook-owned Instagram, which is used by 72% of teens, up from 52% in 2015.

The biggest problem for Facebook is probably the rise of Snapchat: it is now used by 69% of teens (up from 41% in 2015), and, perhaps more significantly, 35% of teens say they use Snapchat most often (compared with just 10% who use Facebook most often).

 

3. Gavin Williamson is shut up and sent away

Richard Madeley was applauded this week for getting fed up with Gavin Williamson, defence secretary, for not answering his question. Madeley, who was pressing Williamson on his ‘Russia should go away, it should shut up’ remarks, eventually cut Williamson off as the latter made no attempt to acknowledge the question. The next day, Madeley wrote a piece for The Guardian, ‘Cutting short Gavin Williamson was the most popular thing I’ve ever done’, which is hard to argue with.

Check out the full exchange below, and watch to the end for the elephant’s comic timing.

 

4. London Evening Standard accused of selling editorial

London evening standard

The Evening Standard has been accused by Open Democracy of selling positive editorial to a range of companies including Google and Uber. It is allegedly part of the Evening Standard’s London 2020 project, a means to bring in more money via sponsored content and events. Open Democracy says the project has gone one step further and is offering, ‘“favourable” news coverage of the firms involved, with readers unable to differentiate between “news” that is paid-for and other commercially-branded content.’

It also quotes an unnamed senior Starbucks executive who said: ‘Buying positive news coverage is PR death…something you might do in Saudi Arabia, but not here. This wasn’t right for us. We do engage in advertorial but that’s just marketing. We don’t need to buy our reputation.’

If true, this would seriously undermine the Evening Standard’s journalists’ authority and respectability.

The Evening Standard has denied the story. In a statement to The Drum, Jon O’Donnell, managing director at ESI commercial, said the idea ES was ‘selling news’ was ‘grossly inaccurate and a wildly misunderstood interpretation of the London 2020 project.’

He continued: ‘This will, as with all commercial content, be clearly identifiable as such. Under no circumstances have these clients been guaranteed news coverage for their own ends, nor would they ever be. Properly signposted commercial content within an editorial product is an accepted part of the news industry and is nothing new for publishers.’

Few publishers have run with the story and it seems like there’s little real evidence it’s true. Though eagle eyed readers will, of course, now be checking every Uber and Google story in the Evening Standard over the next few weeks to see if they’re fairly, or unfairly, praised.

 

5. Goodbye Roseanne

Roseanne barr

Roseanne Barr hit the news this week after a racist tweet, which she then seemed to defend, led to her hit sitcom ‘Roseanne’ to be cancelled. The star had made a racist comment about Valerie Jarrett, former advisor to Obama. In a victory for decisive crisis comms, ABC, the channel on which Roseanne is broadcast, announced it would not renew a second series as the tweet was ‘repugnant and inconsistent with our values’.

Roseanne, who blamed the racism on sleeping pills (no, really), begged for her job back, both on and off Twitter, but the decision stands. In her defence, the White House accused the entertainment industry of ‘hypocrisy’, suggesting ‘liberal TV stars’ suffered no consequences for saying ‘the most horrible things’ about President Trump. Roseanne is a high-profile Trump supporter and her character on the show also supported Trump.

Unfortunately, suggestions that the show could continue with a replacement for Roseanne are unfounded.

 

 

Something we’ve missed? Let us know on Twitter

Mighty gadget

Interview with top tech blog Mighty Gadget

James Smythe is the man behind the independent tech blog, Mighty Gadget. Recently named in the Top 10 UK Tech Blogs, Mighty Gadget covers everything from TVs to phones and holds exclusive competitions for top tech prizes. We spoke to James about the latest trends in tech, his favourite gadgets and working with excellent PR agencies.

What makes your blog unique?
Mighty Gadget is an independent blog, probably 80%+ of the content is mine. I cover all aspects of tech, but due to being limited to just one writer I tend to cover things that interest me personally. I love the normal stuff like mobile and audio visual, but I also cover as much fitness related technology as possible. I love gadgets that can track all my fitness and health stats!

What’s the best gadget/tech you own?
There are too many to choose from! My current favourite is my Ring doorbell; I get so many review samples delivered and picked up it is very frustrating when I miss the door, so this has helped loads. Apart from that, from a pure use perspective it’s my main PC, I spend all day doing my work on it and I am also a keen PC gamer.

What trends should we expect to see in tech in the near future?
Home Automation appears to be going mainstream now thanks to Alexa and Hue. So, I think we will see these devices becoming commonplace within the home.

From a fitness perspective, I think there is a good chance that Android Wear devices will start to eat into the traditional sports watch market. You already have Garmin, Fitbit, and Suunto integrating smartwatch type features into their watches. Current Android watches have okay fitness tracking, but it is nowhere near the level of Garmin, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we see an Android OS watch in the next year or so that is much more focused on sports with options to pair with all the sensors many athletes use.

Which tech companies are the giants of the future?
I can’t think of any specific company but EVs and automated vehicles appear to be the next big tech revolution that is well underway and we all know the names involved in that industry. Beyond that, I may be biased due to my interest in health, but I think the longevity industry will take off in the next few years. We have already seen a growing trend of people being more conscious about their health; the supplements industry is worth $37 billion-a-year in the US, so I think the next logical step is the trend towards prolonging your life as much as possible. There are already quite a few companies that claim to be able to lengthen telomeres, which are a key component in ageing.

What phone do you have?
Huawei Mate 10 – it is not the latest and greatest, but the camera is superb, and the battery lasts all day, so it is perfect for working on the go.

What’s the best tech invention EVER?
So much to choose from! I would say the Internet; it’s an obvious choice but it’s a technological revolution that has affected everyone in such a large way.

How do you like to work with PRs?
They can be frustrating at times, but I appreciate it is difficult dealing with hundreds of bloggers all pestering you for review samples or event details. I wouldn’t be able to cover as much content as I do without their help.

What’s the best campaign/collaboration you’ve worked on?
I have worked with Acer multiple times over the years at first with Otto Comms & PR, and now with Agent 42. They have always been great to deal with, responsive to all emails, easy deliveries and pickup and well-organised events. This year I had a great time with Qualcomm at MWC which was organised by Hotwire Global; it was a great event, all the PR team that looked after us made things run smoothly with a laid-back schedule that allowed us to explore MWC in our own time.

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

What one thing should PRs know about you?
I live in Blackpool! So, unless you are paying for the train journey, it is unlikely I will be able to attend a press event. It isn’t the best place to live when you are a tech blogger!

What other blogs do you read?
I sometimes stalk rival blogs such as Gadgety News to see if they are reviewing anything I might be able to blag. I am a fan of DC Rainmaker, the same as everyone in the fitness industry; he offers an unrivalled level of detail in his fitness tech reviews. Automated Home is great for home automation stuff. Then OC3D and bit-tech for PC-related news.

James Smythe and Mighty Gadget are both listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists and opportunities.

GDPR

GDPR vs USA

The GDPR is finally here (hooray!). The new data privacy regulation that covers EU citizens (and, yes, those in the UK even after it leaves), is now in force across Europe. Designed to give more control to individuals over how their data is collected and processed, the GDPR has been a hot topic for months in the UK, but seems to have caught some in the US by surprise.

Here at Vuelio, we’ve embraced the General Data Protection Regulation and have done everything we can to prepare our users and the communications industry for the biggest data protection upheaval in 20 years. Not only did we publish white papers, guides and Q&As, spoke at events and hosted a webinar, we also upgraded our software to cater to the industry’s needs.

Unfortunately, it seems not everyone was so prepared. Even though the GDPR has been on the horizon for years, many businesses have clearly been caught without a plan, including large corporations on the other side of the pond.

LA Times

Publisher Tronc’s papers, including the LA Times and Chicago Tribune, now all carry the same message on their websites to European visitors, denying access. This appears to have irritated Andrea Jelinek, head of the EU’s Data Protection Board, who said in an email to Bloomberg: ‘GDPR didn’t just fall from heaven. Everyone had plenty of time to prepare.’

As reported by the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), other US news sites have approached the GDPR issue in a different way. USA Today, for example, has stripped away most of its ad-related software; while the US version is over 5MB and has over 800 ad-related requests in the website’s code, the EU version is less than half a megabyte and contains no third-party content at all. CJR believes this will impact publishers who are already struggling with digital revenues, which rely on ad tracking software.

It’s not just publishers. Wilbur Ross, US Commerce Secretary, has spoken out against the GDPR, suggesting it would make EU trade with any other nation much harder. Writing in the Financial Times, Ross said: ‘As currently envisioned, GDPR’s implementation could significantly interrupt transatlantic co-operation and create unnecessary barriers to trade, not only for the US, but for everyone outside the EU.’

Ross also expresses concern about governmental cooperation, claiming the GDPR has created ‘unclear legal obligations’ and that the US Government does not have ‘a clear understanding of what is required to comply’. He obviously hasn’t read our white paper, The GDPR Made Simple.

Silicon Valley, responsible for a large slice of Europe’s digital services, is no doubt lobbying the US Government to do what it can to relax laws, but it’s hard to see what ground can be made (especially as the EU has been preparing for the regulation since 2016).

That Google and Facebook were both reported for breaching the GDPR on 25 May was inevitable, but it’s made the US situation much more desperate. Both companies claim they have spent months preparing and believe they are compliant (Mark Zuckerberg also recently said the company believes in the rules and are rolling them out globally), but with potential fines reaching up to 4% of turnover, which in Google’s case would equate to nearly $4.5bn, if they’re wrong then the consequences will be devastating (for Google).

The GDPR is here to stay, and for those that have prepared, it’s a manageable addition to data privacy laws. But for whole nations, including the US, it’s now become a blockage that has the potential to change the face of global digital services forever.

Need help with GDPR compliance? Vuelio is here to help – find out more.

Radio 1

Nick Grimshaw and Greg James to swap shows

Nick Grimshaw has announced that he is stepping down from his role of host of the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. He is swapping with Greg James, and will host a ‘brand new’ drivetime show.

This week, Grimshaw became the second-longest running breakfast show host in Radio 1 history, overtaking Tony Blackburn. Grimshaw took over from Chris Moyles, who still holds the record for the longest time as breakfast show host, in 2012, which marked a shift in the station’s strategy to appeal to a purposefully younger audience.

From 2012 onwards, the show’s audience numbers dropped dramatically, but station controller Ben Cooper has always defended the station as ‘the most relevant youth brand in the UK today’. Radio 1 also boasts a huge reach across social media, making traditional listening figures less significant. Cooper said: ‘Grimmy’s done a brilliant job reinventing the feel and tone of the breakfast show by connecting with new audiences in new ways in the digital age.’

James joined Radio 1 straight from student radio, a career path Cooper has previously expressed an interest in to find fresh talent, even calling James the ‘poster boy’ of that route into radio.

Cooper said: ‘I’m so proud that Radio 1 produces and nurtures the best talent in the industry – I gave Greg his first show when he joined us from student radio and now he’s getting the most famous radio gig in the world – it’s going to be fantastic.’

James said: ‘I am completely beside myself that I’ve been given the chance to present the most famous radio show in the world. It really doesn’t get any bigger than this and I really want to build on the great work Grimmy has done.’

Grimmy’s route into radio was more traditional for Radio 1, working on a series of music related TV shows and smaller Radio shows before landing the big job. When he was appointed to the role, many questioned how a man known for partying late with the rich and famous would cope with such early mornings, but his five-year run has surely put questions of his commitment to the role to bed. And now, at least, he’ll get to sleep.

Grimshaw said: ‘It was always my dream to do the breakfast show and I’m very grateful that I got to live my dream every day for what will be nearly six years. But six years is a long time and this isn’t a forever job.

‘I had the time of my life. I’ve decided it’s time for a change and a new show. I love Radio 1 and can’t wait to get on with the new time slot and the removal of all alarms from my house.’

This news follows a previous announcement that Radio 1 is moving to a four-day week/three-day weekend, which starts next month. Grimshaw and James will swap shows in the Autumn.

All changes on broadcast radio are kept up to date in the Vuelio Media Database

S4 Capital

Can Sorrell do it again?

Sir Martin Sorrell has started his comeback, just six weeks after his departure from WPP. The marketing mogul has announced he is taking over Derriston Capital, a stock exchange listed cash shell, which he will use to build a new kind of marketing services group.

In 1985, Sorrell took over Wire and Plastic Products plc (WPP), turning it, through a series of high profile takeovers, into the world’s largest advertising company. In April, Sorrell stepped down after WPP began an investigation into supposed misconduct.

Now Sorrell is starting again. As reported by The Guardian, the 73-year-old has acquired Derriston Capital with £40m of his own money and £11m from other investors. Some of those investors have also signed ‘non-binding letters of support’ to provide more than £150m of additional funding for Sorrell’s acquisition plans.

Derriston Capital reportedly started talks with Sorrell just weeks after his WPP departure. It has been announced the company will change its name to S4 Capital, which references four generations of the Sorrell family.

S4 Capital has announced there are already a number of potential acquisition targets: ‘The directors of the company understand that S4 Capital is at present in preliminary discussions regarding a select number of potential acquisitions that would fit with the strategy of building a multinational communication services business.’

When Sorrell left WPP, he said the world needed a new kind of agency, one that was ‘more agile, more responsive, less layered, less bureaucratic, less heavy’. S4 Capital has backed this departure from a traditional marketing services company, saying the company is looking to acquire ‘businesses focused on technology, data and content’.

Sorrell, who is executive chairman of S4 Capital, said: ‘There are significant opportunities for development in technology, data and content. I look forward to making this happen.’

It has also been announced a number of Sorrell’s former colleagues and friends are to join him in his new venture, including Rupert Faure Walker, who assisted with the takeover of J Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather in the late 1980s, and Paul Roy, founder of investment management company NewSmith Capital Partners.

WPP has not commented on the news, but probably regrets such a loose weave contract they had in place with Sorrell, which not only lacked a non-compete clause and allowed Sorrell to leave at any time, but also meant the company will now be paying him up to £20m over the next five years.

The advertising industry has been struggling for some time in the age of Google and Facebook, and the market is already oversaturated by the big five. But, if anyone can engineer another meteoric rise and create a new marketing super giant, Sorrell can.

Freelancer emma harrison

‘I love working with PRs’, Journalist Spotlight with Emma Harrison

Emma Harrison is a freelance journalist who has written for a number of leading outlets. In this journalist spotlight, Emma discusses how she juggles her busy workload, manages multiple deadlines and works with passionate PRs.

Can you describe a typical working day for you as a freelance writer?
Generally, I am always busy! I am lucky to undertake contract editorial work alongside my freelancing writing at the moment. There is always an email to send, calls to return, research to undertake and copy to write. It’s not just a day job for me and you can often find me working evenings and weekends too. I try to keep a sense of balance though as sometimes you do need to take a step back in order to move forwards.

You contribute to a variety of publications. How do you juggle your various workloads?
By keeping a list of deadlines – it can be challenging when they all seem to be due at the same time, but you just need to buckle down and stay focused. I use a physical diary, to do lists and the calendar on my phone, so I always know where I am with everything.

How did you first get into journalism?
It’s only been in the last few years to be honest, I previously worked in marketing and my favourite element was writing copy. I have gradually moved over to more of an editorially-focused role, however, I am still able to utilise those digital marketing skills from time to time!

What are the most enjoyable parts of your job? What are some of the challenges you face?
I think there are always challenges in every job, but it is all about how you tackle those challenges. From a freelancing perspective, I suppose that sometimes your workload is full on busy but there are occasions where you are less busy. I am the sort of person that loves to be busy all of the time, so when I am not it can be a little frustrating.

How do you use social media to write, research and distribute content?
Social media is amazing for distributing content and for finding new and exciting brands to write about. Who doesn’t love the #journorequest hashtag?

What is your relationship with PRs like? What would you say to any PR professionals who want to work with you?
I absolutely love working with PRs; they are always so enthusiastic and passionate about their clients, which is great. I would say to PR companies that I read every single email and press release that comes through. I do my best to reply to everybody and always keep people’s details on file, so even if I don’t have any opportunities right now to include your brand, who knows what might happen in the future.

What type of press material are you interested in receiving?
Anything goes, as long as it has a strong hook, of course!

[testimonial_view id=20]

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database

Emma Harrison is listed on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other freelancers, journalists, bloggers, vloggers and opportunities.

General Data Protection Regulation

Five GDPR resources you shouldn’t have missed

HAPPY GDPR DAY! We’ve been excited about the GDPR for months (years even) and finally it is upon us.

Hopefully you’re not panicking too much about the implication of the biggest data protection changes in the last 20 years, but, if you are – don’t despair! Very few companies are fully compliant right now, so there’s still time to sort yourself out and work towards the GDPR requirements.

And, if you need a little help, here’s five GDPR resources you shouldn’t have missed:

1. What you need to know about the GDPR

Our first white paper, published back in February, covers the GDPR in the broadest terms. It gives an overview of what the GDPR is, defines key terms like Data Controller and Data Processor and builds a picture of what you need to do to comply.

Best for: an introduction to the GDPR

 

2. Your Guide to Vuelio and the GDPR

Many of our users asked for a more comprehensive overview of the GDPR, so we created this guide! It explains the GDPR and your requirements in detail, as well as customer specific information when working with Vuelio as a Data Controller and Data Processor.

Best for: Vuelio customers and anyone who wants to understand the complexities of the GDPR

 

3. GDPR for Comms

We were delighted to be joined by data guru and GDPR expert, Rowenna Fielding – senior data protection lead at Protecture – for this exclusive webinar. Outlining how the GDPR affects PR and comms, Rowenna also took questions from the audience to help with industry-specific queries.

Best for: listening to an expert discuss the GDPR in relation to the comms industry

 

4. FAQs parts 1 and 2

We had SO many questions from the webinar that we had to follow it up with TWO blog posts. Rowenna very kindly answered questions about the GDPR, here, while we answered questions about using Vuelio in compliance with the GDPR, here.

Best for: finding answers to questions you’ve probably been asking in the office

 

5. The GDPR Made Simple

Our second white paper, published this week, making everything to do with the GDPR simple and easy to follow. There can be a lot of jargon and advice online, so we’ve condensed it into easy-to-follow sections that will help you meet your compliance requirements.

Best for: anyone overloaded by the GDPR who just wants a simple read

Beast London

BEAST – a New East London Magazine

BEAST is a new magazine catering for an East London audience. Focusing on lifestyle topics, from restaurant reviews to quirky days out, BEAST is now working towards its first printed issue.

We caught up with Nicky Acketts, creative director at BEAST, who told us about launching the new East London lifestyle magazine, going back to basics and always being up for an adventure…

Can you tell us a bit about the recently launched BEAST magazine? What makes it different from other publications?
BEAST hopes to reflect the pulse of East London, sparking discussion around shared passions and providing an aspirational and invigorating guide to the area. Bringing together communities, local business and those visiting the area.

What are the main challenges when getting a new magazine up and running?
Our main challenges are ensuring we can deliver high quality content within budget and initially to encourage advertisers to take a leap of faith with a new brand.

What do you enjoy the most about your job? What are some of the more difficult aspects?
My mind is constantly buzzing with ideas. I’m a proactive person who’s keen to not miss an opportunity or adventure. Whether it’s supporting and introducing others or jumping on the next exciting thing for us to feature, I like to keep moving. I love meeting people and hearing their story; There are so many incredible people making their mark out there.

It’s important to have an end plan and to be specific about what your product or service is and does.

How do you engage your audience? Does social media play a significant role?
Social media plays a big part nowadays, but I don’t believe it’s the be all and end all. I believe in getting back to basics. People have become adept at screening out the bombardment of digital marketing messages that can become irritating and annoying, therefore they don’t see anything. So, we have an uncluttered, stylish and calmer approach, and I think people will actually engage in the things they find of interest.

Where do you hope to take the publication in the future?
We’d like to take BEAST nationally, if not globally. We definitely have our eye on NYC!

What type of press material are you interested in receiving?
We encourage ideas and collaboration, whatever the subject matter. The more weird and wonderful, the better.

[testimonial_view id=19]

Nicky and BEAST are both listings on the Vuelio Influencer Database along with thousands of other bloggers, vloggers, journalists, editors and opportunities. 

Reach-the-right-influencers-with-the-Vuelio-media-database